Feeding habits of Hymenoptera and Isoptera in a tropical rain forest as revealed by nitrogen and carbon isotope ratios

Hyodo, Fujio; Takematsu, Yoko; Matsumoto, Takashi; Inui, Yoko; Itioka, Takao

doi:10.1007/s00040-011-0159-9

Cited by 32 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…The δ 13 C and stable nitrogen (N) isotope ratios (δ 15 N) of some samples of plants, soil and consumer samples examined in this study have previously been reported (Hyodo et al . , ). The samples were collected randomly by hand and sweeping from forest floor as well as canopy layers using a walkway system.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The mean annual precipitation and temperature are 2600 mm and 27°C, respectively, and there is no clear dry season (Kumagai et al 2009). The d 13 C and stable nitrogen (N) isotope ratios (d 15 N) of some samples of plants, soil and consumer samples examined in this study have previously been reported (Hyodo et al 2010(Hyodo et al , 2011. The samples were collected randomly by hand and sweeping from forest floor as well as canopy layers using a walkway system.…”

Section: S T U D Y S I T E a N D S A M P L E C O L L E C T I O Nmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Dependence of diverse consumers on detritus in a tropical rain forest food web as revealed by radiocarbon analysis

et al. 2014

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Summary 1.Energy and material flows from dead organic matter, or detritus, to generalist predators have a potential impact on the food web dynamics. However, little is known about how commonly generalist predators depend on detritivorous prey, or the detritus on which the detritivores have fed in terrestrial food webs. 2. To examine this, we measured the diet ages of terrestrial invertebrate and vertebrate consumers (>30 species) at multiple trophic levels in a tropical rain forest, with a particular focus on ants and termites by using radiocarbon ( 14 C). Here, we defined diet age as the lag time between the primary production and the utilization by consumer organisms.3. The diet ages varied from 0 to >50 years and corresponded to known feeding habits of the consumers. Herbivores such as bees, butterflies, a frugivorous bird and bat, and nectar-feeding ants had young diet ages (0-3 years). Meanwhile, detritivores such as termites had old diet ages, which increased according to the food resources in the order of litter (6 years), soil (10 years) and wood (≥19 years). The diet ages of predators such as wolf spiders, hunting wasps, army ants, tree shrews and an insectivorous bat were intermediate (2-8 years), indicating the dependence of many predators on detritivores. Because known dietary components of the predators include herbivores and detritivores, the intermediate ages likely indicate the coupling of energy and material flows between plant-based and detritus-based food webs. 4. Diet ages of soil-feeding termite and army ant differed significantly, although a previous study reported that their nitrogen isotope ratios were indistinguishable despite the differing feeding habits. This indicates that radiocarbon can distinguish the two factors, trophic enrichment and the below-ground processes (humification), both of which could influence the nitrogen isotopic signatures of the terrestrial consumers. 5. Our results show that radiocarbon would provide insights into structures of terrestrial food webs as well as time frame of energy and material flows through the webs.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: S T U D Y S I T E a N D S A M P L E C O L L E C T I O Nmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dependence of diverse consumers on detritus in a tropical rain forest food web as revealed by radiocarbon analysis

et al. 2014

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“…4A) indicates that endogeic species living deeper in soil assimilate more old and more microbially processed carbon (Hyodo et al, 2008;Larsen et al, 2016). High δ 13 C values are also typical of humiphagous termites (Tayasu et al, 1997;Hyodo et al, 2011). Although most of the animal taxa in the compiled data set have on average lower δ 13 C values than endogeic Lumbricina, some species of Oribatida, Collembola and Diptera also are markedly enriched in 13 C. Hence, in temperate forests earthworms likely are not the only group using microbially processed carbon in mineral soil layers.…”

Section: Soil Depth Isotope Gradientmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some species of endogeic earthworms and soil-feeding termites are enriched in 15 N by up to 10‰ relative to plant litter and their δ 15 N values resemble those of high-order predators (Schmidt et al, 1997;Tayasu et al, 1997). For instance, δ 15 N values in soil-feeding termites, wasps and predatory army ants in a tropical rainforest are similar (Hyodo et al, 2011). Consequently, it may not be possible to distinguish certain soil detritivores and predators based on δ 15 N values.…”

Section: Soil Depth Isotope Gradientmentioning

confidence: 99%

Uncovering trophic positions and food resources of soil animals using bulk natural stable isotope composition

2018

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Despite the major importance of soil biota in nutrient and energy fluxes, interactions in soil food webs are poorly understood. Here we provide an overview of recent advances in uncovering the trophic structure of soil food webs using natural variations in stable isotope ratios. We discuss approaches of application, normalization and interpretation of stable isotope ratios along with methodological pitfalls. Analysis of published data from temperate forest ecosystems is used to outline emerging concepts and perspectives in soil food web research. In contrast to aboveground and aquatic food webs, trophic fractionation at the basal level of detrital food webs is large for carbon and small for nitrogen stable isotopes. Virtually all soil animals are enriched in C as compared to plant litter. This 'detrital shift' likely reflects preferential uptake of C-enriched microbial biomass and underlines the importance of microorganisms, in contrast to dead plant material, as a major food resource for the soil animal community. Soil organic matter is enriched in N and C relative to leaf litter. Decomposers inhabiting mineral soil layers therefore might be enriched in N resulting in overlap in isotope ratios between soil-dwelling detritivores and litter-dwelling predators. By contrast, C content varies little between detritivores in upper litter and in mineral soil, suggesting that they rely on similar basal resources, i.e. little decomposed organic matter. Comparing vertical isotope gradients in animals and in basal resources can be a valuable tool to assess trophic interactions and dynamics of organic matter in soil. As indicated by stable isotope composition, direct feeding on living plant material as well as on mycorrhizal fungi is likely rare among soil invertebrates. Plant carbon is taken up predominantly by saprotrophic microorganisms and channelled to higher trophic levels of the soil food web. However, feeding on photoautotrophic microorganisms and non-vascular plants may play an important role in fuelling soil food webs. The trophic niche of most high-rank animal taxa spans at least two trophic levels, implying the use of a wide range of resources. Therefore, to identify trophic species and links in food webs, low-rank taxonomic identification is required. Despite overlap in feeding strategies, stable isotope composition of the high-rank taxonomic groups reflects differences in trophic level and in the use of basal resources. Different taxonomic groups of predators and decomposers are likely linked to different pools of organic matter in soil, suggesting different functional roles and indicating that trophic niches in soil animal communities are phylogenetically structured. During last two decades studies using stable isotope analysis have elucidated the trophic structure of soil communities, clarified basal food resources of the soil food web and revealed links between above- and belowground ecosystem compartments. Extending the use of stable isotope analysis to a wider range of soil-dwelling organisms, including mi...

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“…Termites play pronounced roles as soil ecosystem engineers that help with soil fertilization, decomposition, and nutrient-carbon cycling; while ants act as seed dispersers, mutualists, and direct predators on multiple taxa, and they assist in soil processing and nutrient cycling [9,10]. Recent studies of the food web at multiple trophic levels in a tropical rain forest suggested that predators (e.g., ants) are highly dependent on herbivores and detritivores (e.g., termites) as part of their diet [11,12]. The feeding natures of termites and ants suggest that they may be fundamental in food web dynamics in a given tropical peat swamp forest and may help maintain the stability of the ecological system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of remnant forest on insect successional response in tropical fire-impacted peatland: A bi-taxa comparison

et al. 2017

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Fire has become a common feature in tropical drained peatlands, and it may have detrimental impacts on the overall biodiversity of the forest ecosystem. We investigated the effect of fire on termite and ant assemblages and the importance of remnant forest in restoring species diversity in fire-impacted tropical peat swamp forests. The species loss of both termites and ants was as high as 50% in some fire-impacted peats compared to remnant forests, but in most cases the species richness for termites and ants was statistically equal along the land uses surveyed. However, a pronounced difference in functional group composition of termites was detected. In particular, sites close to remnant forests contained two additional termite feeding groups so that they shared a similar composition structure with remnant forests but were significantly different from sites distant from remnant forests. In general, ants were resilient to fire, and the similarity index showed a high degree of similarity among ant communities in all land uses surveyed. The Shannon diversity index for termites and ants decreased with increasing distance from the remnant forests and level of ecological degradation. Peat vegetation variables and ecological degradation were important in shaping termite and ant communities in the tropical peatlands, but their relative importance was not significant in fire-impacted peats regardless of distance from the remnant forests. This study highlights the importance of remnant forests as a biodiversity repository and natural buffer that can enhance species diversity and recolonization of forest-adapted species.

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Feeding habits of Hymenoptera and Isoptera in a tropical rain forest as revealed by nitrogen and carbon isotope ratios

Cited by 32 publications

References 63 publications

Dependence of diverse consumers on detritus in a tropical rain forest food web as revealed by radiocarbon analysis

Dependence of diverse consumers on detritus in a tropical rain forest food web as revealed by radiocarbon analysis

Uncovering trophic positions and food resources of soil animals using bulk natural stable isotope composition

The effect of remnant forest on insect successional response in tropical fire-impacted peatland: A bi-taxa comparison

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